What Are The Different Test For Diabetes?

You may be wondering how diabetes is diagnosed and what they do when they test for diabetes. The test for diabetes is actually a few different tests to help determine if you have diabetes or not. Before we discuss the different test for diabetes, let’s explore exactly what diabetes is.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is known as a metabolic disorder. Someone who has diabetes has difficulty making insulin, or has a resistance to insulin. Insulin is a hormone which is made in the pancreas that is responsible for regulating our blood sugar levels. There are a few different tests for diabetes that can be done.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is when the body’s own immune system mounts an attack on the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. These cells are calling the islet cells. It used to be referred to as juvenile onset diabetes because it is more common in children. Type 1 diabetes is considered insulin dependent diabetes. A patient who is type 1 must take multiple daily injections of insulin, or get insulin through a device called an insulin pump to survive. Without insulin they will die.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is thought to be the most popular form. With Type 2 diabetes the body does not make the exact amount of insulin that is needed or there may be a slight resistance to insulin because the cells are not responding to the insulin. Type 2 diabetes can be controlled with diet and exercise as well as oral insulin pills. In severe cases insulin injections may be needed.

3 Standard Tests To Determine If You Have Diabetes

One way of determining this is with different kinds of diabetes pre-screening tests. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which a person has excess sugar in the blood.

You can’t perform testing, however, by merely drawing blood and measuring the glucose levels. This is because a meaningful percentage of the public has normal blood glucose levels during the day but raised glucose levels as they eat during the day. Any valid test for diabetes has to take this into account.

Medical care practitioners use 3 primary tests to determine if someone has diabetes. What they measure is how fast and efficiently your body is able to clear excess glucose from your blood stream. If the test reveals that you have relatively high glucose levels, it is a good indication that you have glucose intolerance, pre-diabetes, or diabetes.

The 3 tests are:

1) Casual or random plasma glucose test – the patient can be tested at any point in the day. According to the American Diabetes Association, a test showing a casual plasma glucose concentration of 200 milligrams or more per decilitre (mg/dl) indicates that the person can be diagnosed with diabetes.

2) Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) testing – sometimes referred to as the fasting blood sugar test because the patient has to fast before the test is administered.

Fasting, in this context, means that the patient has not consumed food or drink, other than water, for at least eight hours prior to the test. It’s probably most convenient when done first thing in the morning after a night’s sleep. The test measures blood sugar levels. The normal glucose level after fasting is approximately 100 mg/dl.

A diagnosis of diabetes can be made if the glucose concentration is 126 mg/dl or more. Monitoring of the blood glucose measurements persists throughout the day. Because this test is relatively inexpensive, it is a popular one with insurance companies and health care providers. This is also a standard test given to check for pre-diabetes.

3) Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) – This is the most comprehensive of the tests and considered the best by many. It’s more sensitive than the FPG test plus it can test for impaired glucose intolerance which the other two cannot.

However, it is also the most expensive which makes it the least popular with insurance companies and health providers. The test is performed two hours after orally taking 75 grams of glucose. If the blood glucose results show 200 mg/dl or greater, a diagnosis of diabetes can be made.

For various reasons, a testing result can give a false positive, indicating that a person has diabetes when, in fact he doesn’t. Because of this, if a test shows positive, it should be repeated to confirm the results.

Are You Confused About Diabetes Testing Supplies?

Diabetes is a serious condition and requires constant monitoring by using diabetes testing supplies. It is important that a diabetic monitors the glucose levels regularly in order to check that there blood sugar levels are kept within the acceptable range. Until all research proves fruitful in relation to diabetes cures, then managing the condition is of paramount importance.

A glucose monitoring kit is one way to ensure that your levels are as they should be. These kits are mainly simple to use and give results in under one minute. Many are also lightweight and portable, running off of battery power. You can keep an accurate record of your results for up to one year on some machines.

It is necessary to use other diabetes testing supplies in conjunction with a glucose monitoring kit; one of these essential items is the lancet. A lancet creates a small hole in the skin from which a sample of blood can be taken, normally from the finger or sometimes the arm.

Its main purpose is to curtail the tearing of the skin in the area and it is possible on most lancets to change the depth at which the item penetrates the skin. It is a great way of reducing the risk of hitting nerve endings in the finger or arm. Lancets are available ready for constant use, which means there is no hassle with small needles; you simply discard the lancet once it has run out.

After you have produced a sample of blood, other diabetes testing supplies come into play, such as the testing strip. These strips are placed into the monitor who reads the glucose results from the sample. It is usually the case that testing strips are supplied with a glucose monitor pack and fresh supplies can be obtained from a pharmacy.

An Embrace Meter is a fairly new addition to the diabetes testing supplies range. It gives results in less than 6 seconds and it has been proven that those results are accurate. The meter only requires a small sample and the results can be read or heard in English or Spanish. It also has the facility to give you an average of your blood results over a 7, 14 or 30 day period.

It is a fact that all Type 1 sufferers and many Type 2 sufferers will have to have Insulin to help them maintain their blood sugar levels. Insulin is not available without a prescription from a medical doctor and supplies can be obtained from pharmacies. Insulin users usually have to perform more tests throughout the day and inject the correct dose of Insulin via a syringe.

Some diabetic supplies are available without a prescription; this includes the testing strips, syringes and lancets. An Insulin pump is also a popular choice for Diabetics which is available over-the-counter. The pump is designed to give a constant stream of Insulin to the diabetic over a period of 24 hours. The dosage needed is normally determined by studying the diabetic’s lifestyle. Most of these kits include the cannula needle, tuning, pump reservoir, a battery operated pump and a microchip which ensures the dose is correct.

Another option, especially for those with busy lives, is a glucose gel which is taken orally. This is a hassle free method which helps low blood sugar levels and involves a certain amount of glucose being stored in a sealed tube. The tube is designed to resist splitting and breaking open; it is compact, lightweight and can be kept in any wallet, purse or bag.

Diabetes testing supplies are a crucial part of life for a Diabetes sufferer. Once diabetes cures are established these items are available to help those with the condition lead relatively normal lives.

Best Home Glucose Meter-One Touch Test Strips

Since diabetes has become one of the largest growing diseases across the world, new applications have been created to simplify the process of measuring blood glucose levels at home; One Touch test strips are one of them. Many individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes have found it necessary to regulate blood sugar levels, so that there are no dangers that arise from high levels. Also, frequent measuring of blood glucose early on it the diagnoses can determine what steps may be necessary to maintain a healthy level. Often, early on in the diabetic stage, a change in treatment plan is important to live a fully functional life without the worries that come with the disease. In other instances, regulating these levels may be an ongoing process, which may be affected by changes of lifestyle, habits and attitude. **The benefits of One Touch test strips

One Touch test strips have changed the attitude and method of home testing for many individuals with diabetes. It is much simpler to use the OneTouch test strip than many of the other kits that are available. The notched tip aids the strip to stay in place for an accurate reading. It is easy to target because of the colour contrast on the test spot. Its small size makes it easy to handle, travel and use on the move. It is a huge step in regaining control of life and lifestyle for those who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

OneTouch Ultrasoft test strips

One Touch Ultra glucose test strips simplify the process in many ways: fast results, less blood and cost effectiveness are the three most prevalent reasons. Results can be obtained in as little as five seconds, a much quicker time than most other methods of home glucose meters. With a patented “FastDraw” system, the amount of blood needed is also less than other methods on the market. The prices for the OneTouch Ultra test strips are highly competitive. The average price of a meter and 100 strips (upon comparison of five different sites) is around $135 USD. Many health insurance providers will cover the cost of the tools to measure blood glucose at home.

The convenience and affordability make this method an easy decision.

If left unmonitored, high blood glucose levels can cause many problems in the future. Many of these include numbness or tingling to the appendages (mainly feet), issues with the nervous system, sight or retinal problems, cardiovascular problems (including high blood pressure) and other issues. Inexpensive testing can prevent these problems for those who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

There are many methods of home blood glucose testing available, but not all of them are as convenient, simple and cost effective as One Touch test strips or OneTouch ultra2 test strips. The main goal is to live life without the constraints and issues that are created by diabetes and these two methods do just that.

The Importance Of Blood Sugar Test In Pregnancy

The early detection of gestational diabetes during pregnancy is very important to prevent overall health problems later on. Keep reading to understand how blood sugar tests in pregnancy which is often used by medical doctors in order to analyze diabetic issues in women of all ages.

Every single mother would like a safe and sound pregnancy. That is why frequent examination, tests, medical doctor visits are usually sought for by expecting mothers for the period of just about every stage of pregnancy. Nowadays glucose test in pregnancy, that is definitely generally carried out somewhere between the 24th and the 28th week of pregnancy, happens to be a very important feature.

The key reason behind this is actually the prevalence associated with gestational diabetes in about two to seven percent of every single pregnant woman, which usually test was made to detect. Let us first know a little more about gestational diabetes, and little useful information on this kind of test.

Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy

Gestational diabetes practically in almost all women who are pregnant may be a short-term condition. The moment the little one is born, she remains diabetic. On the other hand, in most cases there exists a risk for the woman to have diabetes again in case of future pregnancy or much later in life. This is why it is always very important to detect such a condition as early as possible that it can be kept under control.

How Gestational diabetes occurs in Normal Women?

Each time a non diabetic individual eats food, the digestive system breaks the food eaten into glucose. The glucose then gets into the bloodstream, and, are then converted into fuel for the cells of the body with the help if insulin produced by the pancreas. This method is different in the case of a pregnant woman.

Durig pregnancy the glucose remains in the blood, rather than moving inside the tissues of the body. In an expecting mother, there are plenty of hormonal changes that occur, which makes it extremely difficult for the system to make use of insulin. The pancreas have to generate a lot more than the regular quantity of insulin throughout a expectant lady, and also when they are not able to do so, it could lead to higher blood sugar levels and also gestational diabetes.

Blood Sugar Test In Pregnancy

This test can be useful for checking the way the entire body of the pregnant woman processes sugar. Before such a test is performed, no preparation is needed. What every expecting mother has to do is usually to take glucose by having any sugary fluid. Right after 1 hour, liquid blood samples from the woman are taken for analysis.

If ever the results of this high glucose test during pregnancy are positive, the woman needs to go for Glucose Tolerance Test, to make sure she does have gestational diabetes.

Glucose Tolerance Test

A pregnant woman needs to consume more than 150 mg carbohydrates, three days preceding this test. After these three days of carbohydrate intake the pregnant women has to observe fourteen hours of fasting before going for a glucose test. Throughout the fasting period, an expectant woman is only able to have only a few sips of drinking water. The ideal time for this test is in the morning as fasting during night is quite easy.

Throughout the test, blood is taken to find out the pregnant woman’s “fasting blood glucose level”. After that, she has to drink glucose liquid. What will happen afterwards is a three hour glucose test during pregnancy, whereby, every hour blood is drawn for testing, and this continues for three hours. Later the doctor then studies these four readings of blood sugar levels, and when a few of these turn out to be abnormal, a treatment plan for gestational diabetes is highly recommended to the woman.

In the event the glucose test during pregnancy is positive, doctors recommend many nutritional adjustments for the woman. An expectant person will be requested to consume a good balanced diet which is an excellent blend involving fats, proteins, carbs, nutrients, vitamin supplements and also calories.

Doing a few pregnancy exercise movements for about 30 minutes daily definitely helps. In the event that these types of lifestyle changes are unable to regulate diabetic issues, she will be given insulin injections as the last measure to regulate diabetes. The early detection of gestational diabetes early in pregnancy is very important to prevent overall health problems later on.

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